A new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could start as soon as Monday, US President Joe Biden said, in a deal that could include the exchange of dozens of hostages held in Gaza for several hundred Palestinian detainees

Hungary’s parliament approved Sweden’s Nato accession yesterday, clearing the last hurdle before the historic step by the Nordic country whose neutrality lasted through two world wars and the simmering conflict of the Cold War.

Israel said yesterday its army had readied a plan to evacuate Gazans ahead of a feared invasion of far-southern Rafah, which the UN chief warned would “put the final nail in the coffin” of aid operations.

Music legend and Padmashri winner Pankaj Udhas breathed his last yesterday. The veteran ghazal singer, who was known for his ghazals like “Chitti Ayi Hai” and “Chandi Jaisa Rang”, passed away at age 73 due to prolonged illness

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was close to being freed in a prisoner swap at the time of his death, a close ally said yesterday, repeating an allegation by his family and supporters that President Vladimir Putin had him killed.

Israel struck Hezbollah targets near the city of Baalbek yesterday, killing two group members, security sources said, the first such attack on Lebanon’s east since hostilities began after the Gaza invasion.

A road crash in northern Tanzania has killed at least 25 people including several foreigners, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Sunday.

The Kremlin said yesterday that the idea of holding peace talks without Russia was ridiculous, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he hoped to hold a spring summit in Switzerland to discuss his peace vision with Kyiv’s allies.

Sweden’s accession to Nato adds a final puzzle piece to the alliance around the shores of the strategically important Baltic Sea -- but Russia still poses a threat above and below water.

The UN rights chief decried yesterday disinformation and other attacks that aim to “undermine the legitimacy” and work of the United Nations and other institutions, describing them as “profoundly destructive”.

Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of Pakistan’s three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, was elected yesterday as the head of the country’s most populous province, Punjab, in a move underlining the expanding grip of the family in the South Asian nation.

Hungary's parliament approved Sweden's NATO accession today, clearing the last hurdle before the historic step by the Nordic country whose neutrality lasted through two world wars and the simmering conflict of the Cold War

Arab states tell UN court; UN voices alarm as Israel says preparing for Rafah invasion

Community leaders have been pressured to compile lists of at least 50 men for each small village and at least 100 for each IDP camp and large village

Indian Railways today said it had ordered an investigation after a runaway freight train loaded with gravel travelled 70 kilometres (43 miles) without a driver

A full-scale Israeli military operation in Rafah would deliver a death blow to aid programmes in Gaza, where humanitarian assistance remains "completely insufficient", the UN chief warned today

South Korea's government on Monday told young doctors they had until the end of February to return to work or risk being punished for staging a week-long protest that has disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals

Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday announced the resignation of his government which rules parts of the occupied West Bank

Timely action by Lahore police saved a teenage girl wearing a dress with Arabic calligraphy printed on it from attack by a charged mob, alleging she committed blasphemy, in the crowded Ichra Bazar on Sunday

Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg was in Japan on Monday on a mini-Asia tour involving sword-making, mixed-reality headsets in Seoul and reportedly also lavish pre-wedding celebrations for an Indian multi-billionaire's son